Smoke on a Silken Moon
by Aya Diefair
Summary: Suffering alone is damaging in the wake of loss, but the unexpected will always be willing to pull you from its dark waters. — - Warning: Mentions of Death, Mourning


**Smoke on a Silken Moon**

 _10th of December, 1996_

 **.oOo.**

I picked you up and put you back on solid ground.

 _Kryptonite;_ \- 3 Doors Down

 **.oOo.**

It started on a winter's moonless night. A crisp, coldly written letter from the Head Auror stated her father was found dead in his home three days prior to when it was sent. The wielder's head was bowed, their forehead rested on crossed arms resting on pulled up knees. The parchment was so loosely held in Luna Lovegood's freezing hands that when the breath of icy wind picked up, it was snatched away. The letter soon billowed up and over the witch's head and danced in the air. She didn't notice.

The Black Lake shimmered eerily under the twinkling starlight. Their distant light in the darkened sky only made its waters reflect itself into an endless pool of darkness. Even though she bundled up in her warmest jumper, overcoat, socks, scarf, boots, and warming charms that didn't quite warm her to help ward the winter cold away, she'd somehow forgotten her mittens. Her fingers were stiff and numb as a result.

How long did she sit in front of the black waters she was not sure, but didn't care. Time stopped mattering; she left it behind with her heart on the parchment that escaped from her grasp. The tears had long since dried on her cheeks, yet the sobs still occasionally rocked her body as she wrapped her arms around herself in a feeble attempt to hold herself together. She didn't have anyone left anymore.

Soft steps were heard in the snow from behind but Luna didn't bother to see who it was. The person stalled for a moment before continuing to approach her. Luna was not in the mood for company. Withdrawing her wand from a coat pocket, she tried her best to grip the handle with her stiff, bare fingers as the person walked up beside her.

"It's nearing curfew. You should get yourself back to the castle," a cool, deep voice stated.

"I-I don't care, " she said with an audible sob.

"Suit yourself. You'll make a fine ice sculpture by morning," the person replied but made no motion to leave.

They instead held out the letter to her. "I believe this is yours."

"Incendio," Luna uttered, motioning the wand at the parchment.

It set fire in their hand before it was promptly dropped to the ground. The flame melted the snow as it burned and soon simmered out. She looked at the wizard briefly with a sharpness in her silver eyes until the bubbling wave of realization that she had no one to go home to anymore started to swell in her chest.

"What was that for?" he hissed, examining his gloved hand under the light of his wand for signs of damage.

"I do not want your company!" Luna snapped, scooting away when he decided to sit down beside her despite the attack.

"Yet you look like you need someone, and no one else is here," he noted.

The soft glow of the wands light revealed his green colored scarf wrapped under a milk chocolate chin. She narrowed her eyes at him, but he looked out over the black waters in front of them without noticing her disapproval.

"You had no right to read that letter," she growled, holding back the anger that a stranger had the nerve to read something so personal.

He was examining his gloved hand again when he responded. "What makes you think I did?"

Luna did not respond. Her anger dissipated once she realized how judgmental she sounded. Her mind was overwhelmed by grief and loneliness that it clearly started to affect her general outlook on things already. That was not who she was. She didn't pass judgement based on the color of one's robes or label them by their houses valued traits. A heavy, shivering sigh released a puff of breath out in front of her as she pulled her coat closer to her.

"I am sorry. I don't normally assume things," she muttered.

"I'm used to it," was all he said.

"And that is not fair to you."

He gave a simple shrug and showed no indication to continue the conversation with her. This was fine with Luna, but it still didn't excuse her behavior toward him. She hoped that he took her apology to heart.

Luna shivered again, and before she thought about casting her rather weak warming charm, a heavy cloak was draped over her. She looked over at the wizard who no longer wore said cloak, yet he acted like he didn't even move a muscle to offer it. Luna found him mysterious, but despite this his presence somehow offered a comfort she did not think she needed. She pulled the thick, expensive fabric around her. Its warmth started to thaw her out immediately. She was grateful for the kind gesture.

"Thank you."

He tilted his head to regard Luna and gave a nod in response. "Don't wait for too much longer, or I'll become the ice sculpture."

She let out a laugh that was far from sounding happy, but it was a laugh nonetheless. A silence settled between them for a few moments. She would glance his way every so often, but he kept his arms folded across his chest and his gaze looking out at the lake.

"I am sorry I tried setting you on fire," she said as sincerely as she could. Before he could reply, someone interrupted him.

"Are you planning on freezing out here too, Blaise?" Another voice called from nearby.

Blaise turned to look behind them before he got to his feet. A quick charm dried his damp clothes. He held a hand out that Luna accepted as she forced herself up on numbed and stiff legs just as the second wizard approached. He flung an arm around Blaises' shoulders, but his eyes settled on Luna. She sheepishly looked downward and sniffed softly, swaying some from her unstable legs.

"Are you okay?" The newcomer sounded genuinely concerned for her. Perhaps he glimpsed her red-ringed eyes or her tear-stained cheeks in the wandlight before she turned her face away.

Luna gave him a stiff nod regardless. "I will be, eventually."

Before any further questions could be asked as to what she meant, the other wizard spoke up on her behalf.

"Nothing a warm mug of hot chocolate won't fix," Blaise said, giving her freezing hand a gentle squeeze.

Luna was unaware he still held her numbed hand in his warm, gloved fingers, but she felt the corner of her lip lightly twitch at the gesture. "That sounds lovely."

 **.oOo.**

 _21st of June, 2002_

It ended on a beautiful summer evening with the glow of sunset orange painting the sky. Luna watched as the canvas above changed as the light slowly faded out on the horizon. The rooftop was her favourite place to retreat to on the first day of summer. It was her way to pay her respects to her father. He always enjoyed sitting on the grassy hills surrounding their property with her making flower crowns while he sketched out the colors of the sky until dusk fully settled around the plains of their home.

The flat was her new home. A home she never expected to come across after she graduated Hogwarts. Though Ginny's family took her in with open arms, the Burrow never felt like home to her during the remainder of her school career. Blaise and Theo didn't hesitate in offering to take her in as soon as she stepped off the train. They helped her find a way to conquer the demons that clung to her soul and caused the nightmares. They helped her find her smile; it touched her eyes and echoed in her laugh again. If it hadn't been for that cold winter night at the lake over five years ago, Luna didn't know where she would have ended up had Blaise never sat down beside her.

The door to the rooftop creaked open behind her but she didn't look back to investigate who it was. She didn't need to. Blaise approached her and made himself comfortable beside her. He looked out at the scenery that slowly changed before their eyes. Luna curled a hand into his and rested her head on his shoulder. The sound of nature around them was soothing to her ears. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, allowing the summer solstice to wash over and through her.

Luna was unsure of when Theo arrived, but he was soon beside her with an arm draped over her shoulders. A small tea tray was placed before her with three steaming cups waiting to be treated and drank.

"Comforting, isn't it?" she hummed out. "Seeing the beauty of something slowly come to its end."

"Yet the end brings the birth of a new beauty under the face of moonlight." Blaise added, shifting his gaze from the yellow and orange colors of evening to the beginnings of the twinkling stars peering through the azure sky above.

Theo sighed heavily and the pair looked over at him. He met their eyes with a teasing smirk. "You two are over there sounding like poets and all I did was offer tea."

The three laughed at the playful jibe. Luna wrapped an arm around Theo's waist and pulled him a little closer. She had found her happiness again.

 **.oOo.**

I'll keep you by my side with my superhuman might.

 _Kryptonite;_ \- 3 Doors Down

 **.oOo.**

* * *

 **Written for the Bingo Challenge - Set 6 - Card 9 - Generic Mix C (Expired)**

 **Written for the Crayola Color Challenge from the HPFFC Forum**

 **Written for the 28 Days of Romance in February Challenge**

 **Written for Round 4, Year 2 of The Houses Competitions**

 **House:** Hufflepuff

 **Prompt(s):** [Song Prompt] Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down

 **Category:** Short (500-2000 Words)

 **28 Days of Romance:** Day 7 - Triad - Blaise/Luna/Theo (Poly Relationship)

 **Bingo Prompt:**

 **A3** \- Lake/Pond

 **Color Prompt:** 34\. Sunset Orange

 **Word Count:** (Per Google Docs) 1,591

 **Beta(s):** Pix


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